A Surplus of Sickness
by petalled
Summary: Ficlet. "The last time I was this sick," reminisced Relena, "it was because I took an unscheduled dip in the harbor to save a stupid boy who wanted to kill me."


**Disclaimer:** GW = not mine.

**Author's Note****:** Prompts: embrace and illness - shared.

**A Surplus of Sickness  
by mistress amethyst une**

"The last time I was this sick," reminisced Relena, "it was because I took an unscheduled dip in the harbor to save a stupid boy who wanted to kill me."

"You should have let the stupid boy drown," replied the figure lying next to her, his warm breath hitting the back of her neck. "Saved yourself a lot of trouble."

They were in her bed, drugged out from cold medicine, lethargic despite how their symptoms were swiftly receding. She lay spooned against him, his arms around her waist as she took advantage of his body heat. Sheets were a poor source of warmth and she shivered in her pyjamas. Meanwhile, barely a goosebump manifested itself on his skin despite the fact that he was clad in a pair of boxers and nothing else. The disparity in their immune systems was obvious though there was no denying they were both afflicted. Mere hours ago, the room was filled with a symphony of sneezing. Apparently, making love in the rain had unforeseen pitfalls that romantic movies didn't want you knowing about.

"Why would I spare him this fate?" she smiled. "I'm not that merciful. There has to be some recompense for all the grief I got in the days that followed. Do you have any idea how many times people asked me why I was wearing a sweater on such a fine spring afternoon?"

Heero snorted. Her recollection of those days painted a far rosier picture of the actual events. The fact that they could discuss those things so causally now was a testament to how far they had come.

She turned in his arms, pressing her ear against his chest. Post-coital or not, she relished the luxury of hearing his heartbeat, listening to his blood pound as the heat of his skin permeated her cheek.

"I really want to go back to work tomorrow."

Her tone was unconvincing. She was mistaken in thinking that saying it aloud would somehow make it true.

"For a politician, you're not a very good liar."

The taunt thundered within his chest, rumbling against her ear as she chortled.

"Can we discuss my lack of competency some other time?"

He gave a slight shrug. "You were the one who brought up work. Speaking of which, unlike you, I'm looking forward to getting back on the job in the morning."

"Now who's a bad liar?" she rebuked.

The small laugh he gave might very well have escaped her attention if her current position wasn't so well-suited to noting every sound he made.

"What's so funny?"

"You."

She tilted her head to glare up at him. "Still funny?"

"Very."

Exasperated, she softened her gaze. "Care to tell me why you're so eager to go back to that chaos? Maybe it'll help me see things differently."

Looking thoughtful for a second, he seemed to scrutinize her expression before saying: "Close your eyes."

The medicine must have left her feeling more compliant than usual. On any other day, she would have asked him why. Today, her eyes simply fluttered shut at his command. She soon felt the sensation of his lips brushing against her forehead before landing on each of her eyelids.

"Open them," he told her.

Again she complied, confused by his gesture. "I don't get it. Why did you ask me to do that?"

"Nothing," he smirked. "Just wanted to see if you would do it."

"Why you-"

She began pounding her fists against his chest but he grabbed her wrists, effectively restraining her.

"Just think of it this way," he offered. "Tomorrow, we return to the employer-employee paradigm. You can get even then. Don't spoil it."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I thought you wanted something to look forward to."

* * *

Heero is weird. *sighs* Yes, there's a reference to episode 2 in there. Someone had to fish him out of the water or he would have drowned before the ambulances arrived. I'm betting she took a dip and that explains her pink winter sweater in April. Caught a cold. xD


End file.
